Faded Flower
by Annakyirea
Summary: A tragic past but brought to a hopeful future, Ylisse's prince and princess travel back to save their world from a future they had suffered through. Though, many don't expect the two to be nothing alike, and the prince to be vying after their tactician. (I'm horrible at summaries, yay!)
1. Prologue

_**Notes!**_

_**I find the blue haired Inigo to be the best looking, honestly when he has dark colorful hair really. His personality is somehow alluring to me, so I decided to write about him as best I could! **_

_**Hope you enjoy! ;)**_

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He stared up at her, eyes wide with pure horror as he realized what had just happened. As the grey eyes once filled with life flickered out Inigo watched her tumble to the ground with a heavy thud. There was nothing he could do – for all those times he spent laughing and playing with girls seemed pointless and silly as he saw the most important woman in his life fall before him. She had always been beautiful like a flower on the wind, delicate and sweet, but she had been torn to shreds to save his life… right before his eyes.

"Inigo!" Lucina swung Falchion heavily, due to it being almost her full height. "Inigo, we need to leave!"

He had to be torn from the lifeless body now limp against the ground; her empty eyes seemed to follow him as they ran. The princess held in tears of her own as they ran down the castle hall, trying to find their way out of the Risen infested castle. A group of adults were working on smuggling the two children out, both terrified as to what would become of them.

Their aunt was waiting by a wagon to transport them to safety, and anyone else that made it out with them. With the wagon full, they made their escape by the night – hoping that wherever they went, they may forget the sight they had to see that night. The boy held onto his older sister's hand for dear life as he remembered his mother protecting him just hours before the bitter sunrise rose.

Inigo would never forget, and he would never allow anyone he loved die for him again. His mother's ring was cold in his palm as he made that vow.


	2. Chapter 1

Lucina had stayed behind alongside the tactician who was also suffering from wounds after their battle at the port. They both promised to watch over the camp as Chrom took his wife and a handful of their troops to check out a situation up the mountain. Of course the princess was wary of her as always but as they talked more over the space of time when they found her they had become mild friends.

"How's your shoulder, Lucina?" The pink haired tactician smiled over hers at the girl, "My leg is almost healed."

"I will be fine – no, I won't try it again."

_It_ being Lucina trying to hide her injury and go into battle, only making it worse and enraging Chrom at the both of them; because they had been injured protecting one another. They laughed about it in the healer's tent after getting their fair share of scolding from the commander. Of course after finding her and the young Taguel and primped mercenary, Nihla became curious.

"Lucina?"

The princess turned towards her, "Yes, Nihla?"

She looked at her, "Why didn't you have your mother's ring like Yarne or Severa?"

"That's because…"

"You – I'm sorry, if you don't wish to speak of it…"

"No, it's all right… My younger brother has our mother's ring."

A thought crossed her mind that maybe Inigo held onto Olivia's ring since Falchion was something of Chrom's? She didn't know, but she knew was the two blue haired babies back in Ylisse would be waiting for their parents, and she was going to see them home. The sun was starting to sink low in the sky as everyone left behind tried not to worry where everyone was, and as a large group of shadows began to grow closer from over the hill, their worries were put to rest.

"Lucy!"

The two females looked towards the group to see a young man with hair as dark and blue as the sea waving. Only one recognized him without a second thought and ran into his arms, scolding just like her father would. After seeing Olivia and Chrom group around them she quickly realized just who the youth was – it had to be their youngest, Inigo.

She smiled, seeing all these happy families reunited made her feel good, even if she had little to nothing to do with it, it was somehow… pleasant? Yes, pleasant, to be around them and the atmosphere they provided. The woman laughed, making a silly comment to Lissa as she was having her leg checked – how she was feeling left out. Of course, there had to be repercussions with telling the bubbly cleric anything, even a joke, because it would soon become well known.

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**_Note:_**

**_Tried to make Lucina more friendly in this chapter, she always comes off stuffy to me, and if she's Inigo's sister obviously Nihla will need her approval... or die. o_o _**

**_Plus, I think Inigo and Lucina are better as siblings than a couple - so I'm going to try and make chapters with all three of them involved! _**


	3. Chapter 2

**_Note: Sorry for the long update time - that or I'm forgetting and it wasn't that long... o.O_**

**_Anywho~ Here's another chapter!_**

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At breakfast the next day Inigo was already making introductions with everyone – everyone female that is. His sister tried to justify his actions but found herself embarrassed just to be hearing of the lines he would try to pull. Nihla hadn't caught any of his actions yet and was making her way to Olivia's tent to speak with her when she saw Inigo leaving. The moment she saw his brand she knew it was really him, and remembered how she had heard of him just months ago when Olivia was beaming about her new child.

The young man turned and saw her, turning a light shade of red, "You're Nihla."

She didn't hear it as a question, but treated it as such, "Yes, I am."

Olivia could hear the voices outside her tent and as she recognized them she quickly knew what was going on. Though, before she could even attempt to stop it, Inigo was trying to flirt with the army's tactician and was doing a rather poor job at it. He friend's face was contorted in mild disgust as he grinned away, not noticing as she quickly tried to disguise it with a disturbed smile. The pink haired women locked eyes and the man was blushing having been caught flirting by his own mother – who was Nihla's heroine at the moment.

"Just the woman I wanted to see!" She smiled with her back to Inigo, "I have something I need to speak with you about."

She could already tell what it was about – it wasn't even noon and complaints were beginning to flood in about her own son. There was little chance they would be able to change it, even Lucina said she had tried to scare him with Falchion but to no avail. The three sat in the dancer's tent with no real ideas on how to fix the 'problem' of many women's complaints. Olivia and her daughter sighed as the tactician stayed silent, being respectful as she had no right or say in the matter.


	4. Chapter 3

_**Note! This chapter didn't seem the same to me, but I was in too good of a mood this weekend so unfortunately it may have gone into my writing. =I Oh well, I hope you like it anyway!**_

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They had brought three more children into their group on the Valmese continent, Lissa was now engrossed with her strange-speaking son thus leaving Nihla on her own as her friends enjoyed their families. She found it easier to focus though, the less she spent time socializing the more she got done, and the more productive she was. A mountain of work was done within hours, blades sharpened, stock taken, even staying on patrol for an hour or longer. No one really noticed that she was falling ill until she found herself wobbling here and there, nearly crashing into everything. A lack of food and sleep had caused havoc upon her body and it had enough.

She was walking through camp when she felt the world tilt and when the ground was about to meet her face she was awoken from her trance. An arm around her waist caught her before she could collide with the earth but she couldn't make out much of what they were saying. With blurry eyes, Nihla noticed Inigo setting her up right but feeling her neck and forehead before quickly apologizing and putting his own to hers – checking her temperature.

He was frightened by how high her fever was, "You need to see a healer."

Nihla shook her head, "No…I…The…"

Even her words weren't coming out right anymore, she couldn't form a full sentence – Inigo knew her fever had to be extreme if that was the case. He picked up the flustered and feverish woman in his arms as she tried to object, before she could even really fight back the young man had her on the way to a healer.

Maribelle and Lissa were sitting in there alongside Brady and Olivia who were both being treated for training injuries. They all stared at him as he walked in, suddenly feeling self-conscious having their tactician in his arms 'princess style'. A cough alerted them that she was in need of help, and before Nihla could even try to stop them she was on the cot with the three healers all fussing over her. The delicate dancer held her hand when they finished and told her she was going to be okay – or rather that she _had_ to be okay.

Inigo was turning to leave when she grabbed his sleeve, "Wait…"

Everyone watched her as she smiled at him, still weak with fever.

"Thank you… Inigo…" Nihla quickly fell asleep and let his sleeve go.

His mother smiled at him as they left the tactician in the hands of the healers – Lissa though came running out to catch Olivia. She didn't know what to say but let Nihla's secret remark slip, making the two women feel even worse. They didn't know what to do but the young man beside them was obviously going to reveal it to her without meaning to.


	5. Chapter 4

_**Note:**_

_**I had this chapter done a few days ago but I wasn't feeling well again and was sleeping mostly =(**_

_**All better now, and updates should be a little more regular! Yay! **_

_**Here's a chapter from when I was feeling a little more pumped up!**_

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Nihla skidded backwards; feeling revitalized after having completely recovered from her illness and was wreaking havoc on the enemies. The newly trained assassin climbed up a pillar before an axe could meet her neck then aimed a bow at her attacker to find he was already taken care of. The dancer's son grinned up at her without seeing the enemy behind him, she quickly flipped off the pillar and down onto the enemies shoulders, snapping his neck with a twist of her feet.

He stared somewhat entranced for a moment, seeing her moving with the grace of a dancer herself in her fluid movements. Pride getting in his way, he quickly went back into the fray to fight more enemies to gather more favor with the ladies. Everyone knew he was rash and the first to try and hide an injury so those closer to him would constantly be watching him to make sure he didn't get the injury in the first place. Olivia had become a Myrmidon and was now fighting beside her daughter as they protected their small area of protection.

They were keeping the ruins sealed; every entrance besides the sky was blocked with soldiers as she went up onto a wall to scout the battlefield. Enemies were beginning to thin out and she saw their leader slowly reveal himself from the crowd, while still keeping a fair distance. With them being in a confined space, they kept their fliers on the outer edge of the battlefield while those who were on foot stayed on the front lines.

"So… you're getting cocky, huh?" The man glanced at the woman looking out at them. "Archers, take her down."

Three bows aimed on her as her eyes finally refocused in that direction. She gasped as one arrow whizzed by her cheek, grazing it, and quickly went to dodging the other two. The archers weren't expecting her to dodge them so easily but quickly re-stocked their bows and took aim once more. Nihla prepared her Iron bow and took aim as well, straight for their leader – unfortunately, she needed this shot to be perfect and her attackers were not letting up.

"We've got you're back!"

The assassin saw troops of theirs finally pushing forward and taking aim for those setting their sights on her, so using Lethality she lined up the shot and took it – sending the arrow through the brigand's heart. She sighed as the enemies left quickly dissolved and ran leaving them to see to their wounded. And a certain dancer walked up to her trying to hide a bleeding arm – to which she scowled at him.

"Inigo, go see Lissa," Nihla sighed at him, "You should really be more careful."

"Oh, I am." He gave his usual cheesy grin, "Wouldn't want someone to scar this beautiful face though."

"Wha-" She felt rage until he grazed her cut with his thumb, he had seen that. His hand lingered too long though and with a flush in her cheeks she smacked it away before storming away – mad at herself for even feeling the slightest thing and him for being such a shameless flirt.

He sighed as she stormed off, "How am I supposed to not chase after you when you make faces like that?"

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_**Ending Note:**_

_**-sigh- Oh Inigo, you shameless flirt. xD**_


	6. Chapter 5

_**Note:  
Three updates in one day! Had this one done for a while too, kinda wanted to plug a tiny Inigo in there.**_

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"Looks like he's already attached to you," Olivia giggled as she sat in the nursery with her friends who came to see her, "I hope he grows up to be just like the future Inigo."

Three women gave her a look as Lissa spoke, "I just hope Owain doesn't… keep his vocabulary."

Nihla watched as Maribelle then went onto Brady's speech patterns and couldn't help but smile as the blue haired boy in her arms reached up for her face. When she held him up his tiny hand went to the scar on her right cheek which made her laugh – it was almost as if he knew his future self-had also been concerned. The mother took her son back for him to go down for a nap alongside his older sister. They all gave the snuggling children a last glance and left for the day.

Many of the Shepard's had taken up homes in Ylisstol, their tactician was no different having a moderate home within the city and went there to check on things before going back for the war council. She opened the door to her empty house and smiled that everything was as she left it, books cluttering the entire lower level of her home.

Inigo had stopped by the day before with flowers, laughing at how her house was as dirty as her tent was. She almost slammed the door in his face but he apologized and said they were from Olivia who wanted to see her the next day. She had sighed and invited him but when he made a flirtatious comment about needing to refuse she changed her mind. There were lilies and wild-flowers, the lilies were obviously from the garden but how did she find her favorite flowers?

Thinking on it, she noticed Inigo had seemed tired – had he gone to find them? Nihla smiled at the prospect and silently said thanks while looking at them. When he left she looked about her home and decided to do some cleaning – which never happened.

They found themselves preparing to head to Plegia for a meeting with its king, Validar. Nihla was unsure about it, after knowing he was her father she had become more wary since he could enter her mind. She clenched a fist as the others showed up at the barracks, unsurprised to see her already finishing up her tasks. They were set to leave and when they did she found a cold chill run down her spine like a bad omen.


	7. Chapter 6

_** Note: Still on Vacation :)**_

_**This was kinda a bored chapter just thrown together, kinda imagined more random things... I dont know, maybe the sunshine is getting to me!**_

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Nihla was sent into a small Plegian town to gather a few supplies they had suddenly run low on. A man stared at her; she made a face and tightened her cloak around her chest, feeling self-conscious without her armor. Of course an assassin's gear had to be easy to move in, and with the blades, and leather plates removed she was just in something close to a body suit. Before she had left Olivia lent her cloak telling her to keep covered, Plegia was a land she had always hated visiting when she was traveling.

Their medical supplies were dipping and she headed to where she could buy some salves, she quickly saw Inigo had also traveled to the town and was making a purchase there. With his package in hand he left – not noticing her as she quickly made her own purchase. Completed with her task, Nihla looked to see the one watching her had turned into two and were following her. She picked up her pace, feeling her heart in her throat, thinking it just had to be a coincidence that they were merely walking in the same direction.

Pretending to look around as if lost, she saw them still there – but now four men instead of two. She felt panic in her throat; she had only a dagger under her cloak and no armor how was she to protect herself? Slowly, an arm wrapped around her waist, her heart jumped into her throat as she looked up to see Inigo.

"Keep walking." She flushed, heart racing as she nodded and kept her feet moving even though her knees had been ready to quake.

Nihla knew she would have to thank him later, although she felt irritated by his arm still around her she took it as he was sending the men a silent message. Taking a deep breath she was able to calm down as they were closing in on their camp but a branch broke and she was suddenly on the ground under Inigo. He looked around as an arrow had just missed their heads and went into a nearby tree.

"Damn, they weren't just following you because you were pretty." He growled as she quickly stood away from him. "We need to move-" Inigo looked over at her.

She scowled at the ground clenching a fist, "Damnit. Let's go!"  
They quickly began to run as another archer tried to shoot once more, but she tugged him forward more making barely graze his shoulder. There were others in the bushes that jumped out behind them, Nihla took a deep breath and took a fighting stance behind Inigo.

"What are you doing?!" The young man yelled, "Let's go!"

"We can't lead them back to camp!" She growled back at him, "Go get help, I'll hold them off!"

He didn't think twice before running towards the camp, it wasn't that far away but as he was running he saw flashes in the back of his mind. Even though he swore he'd never let anyone get hurt for him again, he was now saving himself and letting Nihla take the brunt of an ambush by herself. Half way to the camp he turned around swearing under his breath as he ran back, knowing she'd never forgive him.

A sharp scream warned him he may be too late so he picked up his pace to find the woman being protected as a certain Taguel and mage stood in front of her. Henry smiled as creepily as ever as he made his happy-go-luck sounding threats. Those left over ran as Panne saw to the assassin who was shaken but somehow unharmed except a bruised throat.

"Inigo…" She coughed at speaking until Henry tilted her chin up to look at her neck.

"That's a doozy. Might want to hold off on the whole talking thing until you get it looked at." He gave her a kind smile.

Nihla was one of the few who found a friend in Henry; she smiled and mouthed 'thank you' instead of speaking. The dark mage looked to Inigo and told him to carry her back to camp, when the boy agreed he took his wife's hand and walked back towards the camp, their peaceful walk being interrupted. Without another thought he took the woman onto his back, telling her to hold on tight as he began to run back, holding onto her thighs as he went – blushing and wondering why he had chosen to carry her that way. She had her head against his shoulder, thinking maybe he wasn't so bad. He had helped her so many times already. Nihla's chest ached, she was unsure if it was from being kicked, the temporary lack of oxygen, or she was somehow growing feelings for the grown child in front of her.


	8. Chapter 7

_**Note:**_

_**My mind's still jumbled form traveling, but I will update because it must be done! This one's around the chapter where Lucina goes crazy… again.**_

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"I want to see everyone safe…" Nihla's blue eyes rained tears, "I want them all to be home back with their families, I want little Lucina and Inigo to grow up with their happy family…"

The princess in front of her held in tears of her own, hating that she had to hurt her friend, "Don't…say things like that…"

"How can I not? It's the truth." She smiled at her, even though the tears wouldn't stop. "I just… I… want… you all to smile; I work every day to make sure that can happen. To see that happen, I'll do anything, even give my life, but… let me do it on my terms. Before any harm can come to your father – I will take the blow for him."

She wanted to believe her, the woman who stood beside her mother and father as a friend and advisor, someone she vaguely remembered as a small child. Lucina's eyes welled up with tears as she dropped Falchion crying she couldn't do it, she couldn't hurt her father's friend…her friend. As the exalt walked up to stop the situation he saw he wasn't needed, they had diffused it themselves and were now crying in each other's arms.

"Testing their friendship, huh?" His wife and son walked up beside him.

Olivia smiled at her daughter, "She's truly grown into such a beautiful strong woman."

When Lucina recovered, she went over to her family, leaving the woman to look at the sunset while dueling with her own unpleasant thoughts. She sighed as someone came to stand beside her, silently and unknowingly giving her the support she needed. A hand wrapped around hers, she blushed as Inigo laughed and gave her a grin.

"I'll allow it this once." Nihla gave his hand a tough squeeze as he called uncle.

He felt a weird sensation in his chest at her smile, knowing what it was he wondered what to do next. The woman saw his expression and let go of his hand to walk back without another word, she knew but was going to keep acting like nothing happened. Inigo sighed, she was always three steps ahead and he was struggling to catch up.

Within the next week he had gifted everyone with vulneraries to 'raise morale among the troops' when he handed her the one for her she was put off. Seeing it as one of his usual attempts to woo women, but apparently it wasn't the case then she let a compliment slip which was obviously an ego boost for him. Before she could say much else he had run off with his usual smile to deliver the rest, she smirked and shook her head, wondering how Olivia and Chrom were going to deal with him.


End file.
